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Wifi problem?
hammo
Posts: 1,259 Forum Member
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Just got an Epsom wifi printer and I've just noticed that there's another wifi connection in the wifi list starting with the word DIRECT is this my new printer showing upon it if so how can I use it?
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The printer should connect to your router over WiFi or a cable connection from where your laptop can access it. If it is appearing as a WiFi connection on it's own then it sounds like you have set it up in Ad Hoc network mode. This is where the printer creates a WiFi hotspot so you can link to it directly without needing a router.
Always assuming of course that this connection is your printer. Try turning it off at the mains to see if the connection disappears then comes back when you switch it back on.
My Epson printer certainly does not show up as a WiFi connection but is connected via WiFi to the router. Mind you it does show up twice in Devices and Printers in Windows Control Panel.
How is your printer connected? To have two connections where one appears to be a WiFi hotspot I would think you would need to have a cable connection? Don't think you can link via WiFi to the router and set up a WiFi hotspot at the same time.
One thing I would advise is you give the printer a fixed IP address, whether you use a cable or WiFi. I have found that using DHCP to assign an IP address automatically can lead to the laptop losing track of the printer should the IP address change. So you end up with the laptop insisting there is no printer and it can be a real faff getting the two to talk to each other again. Using a fixed IP address solves all of those issues.
Good advice as usual.
Sometimes it is not easy to give a printer a fixed IP address (in addition you need to use an address outside the DHCP range).
Most routers do remember the dynamic IP address, but as you say sometimes forget.
Most routers allow IP to mac address binding ie. you tell the router to permanently give the same dynamic IP address to the device's mac address. This is useful if you have a device that you cannot set a fixed ip address or it is difficult to change (some printer instructions may as well be written in Klingon sometimes)
The one device you should generally leave with dynamic IPs is the PC itself especially laptops!
re. direct above - that is for ad-hoc networks. Only needed if no wifi router - pretty rare.
A lot of Wireless printers can use the Wireless access point of your router or alternatively use WiFi DIRECT.
WiFi DIRECT is when the PC connects wirelessly to the Printer directly, not using your Wireless Access point in your Router. DIRECT is sometimes part of the device name.
Personally I prefer to connect via the Wireless Access point in the Router. The reason for that is that the Router is configured with the task of DHCP server thus dishing out the IP addresses to connected devices, one of which is the Printer.
WiFi DIRECT is disabled on the Printer and a couple of Display devices.
If you want to use WiFi direct you enable it on the printer, and in what you are printing from.